By Sohaib Shams
British teenager Mika Stojsavljevic claimed her first WTA Tour victory on Wednesday, defeating former Grand Slam champion Sofia Kenin 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 at the Hong Kong WTA 250 event.
The 17-year-old, ranked 411th, entered the main draw as a lucky loser after Canadian Leylah Fernandez withdrew following her Tokyo final appearance on Sunday. Stojsavljevic learned she would play only an hour before the match.
Despite limited preparation, Stojsavljevic raced to a set and 3-0 lead before Kenin, the 2020 Australian Open winner, fought back. The British player held her composure to close out the two-hour, 19-minute contest on her second match point.
“I kind of just went out and swung today,” Stojsavljevic said. “I believed in myself and it worked out.”
She will face Turkey’s Zeynep Sonmez in the second round.
